Webinar on Combating Obstetric Violence in Africa: Human Rights, Dignity and Accountability in Maternal Health Care

The Socio-Economic Rights Project at the Dullah Omar Institute hosted a webinar to raise awareness and foster dialogue on the pressing issue of obstetric violence (OV) in Africa. Drawing from extensive research and cross-country experiences, the event aimed to unpack the definitions, manifestations, and structural drivers of OV, situate it within applicable human rights frameworks, and reflect on the use of litigation as a strategy for accountability and change. The webinar also sought to generate recommendations for advancing respectful maternity care and strengthening legal and institutional responses across the continent.

The panel featured three speakers: Aisosa Jennifer Omoruyi from the Dullah Omar Institute (DOI), Achieng Orero from the Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA), and Nyokabi Njogu from the Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS (KELIN).

The first speaker, Aisosa Jennifer Omoruyi, provided a comprehensive overview of the definition and manifestations of obstetric violence, including verbal abuse, non-consented procedures, neglect, abandonment, and maternal detention. She emphasised that OV is both interactional (linked to the behaviour of individual health workers) and structural, driven by poor infrastructure, discriminatory cultural norms, systemic inequality, and entrenched power imbalances within healthcare systems. Jennifer highlighted the normalisation of mistreatment as a critical barrier to reform, noting that many women internalise these practices as expected or even necessary.

Achieng Orero followed with a presentation on the human rights standards applicable to obstetric violence, including the rights to the highest attainable standard of health, dignity, equality, and freedom from violence, amongst others. She highlighted the relevance of both international and regional human rights instruments and discussed the landmark County Government of Bungoma v JOO case, where the court affirmed that respectful maternity care is an immediate obligation, emphasising that such care cannot be subject to progressive realisation. Achieng argued that OV cannot be addressed outside of a rights-based framework and that strategic engagement with legal norms is essential to challenge institutionalised harm.

Nyokabi Njogu concluded the panel with reflections on her experience litigating cases related to obstetric violence in Kenya. She discussed the importance of using legal action to hold health systems accountable and elevate the experiences of women who have suffered mistreatment during childbirth. While acknowledging the challenges of pursuing such cases, she emphasised that litigation remains a powerful tool to expose systemic failures and advocate for reform.

The webinar reinforced the understanding that obstetric violence is a profound human rights violation. It called for legal recognition, institutional accountability, and a transformation in the culture of maternal care to ensure that all women across Africa can access respectful, safe, and dignified reproductive healthcare.

View the panelists' presentations by clicking the links below.

Additional information:

Date: 27 May 2025

Organised by: Socio-Economic Rights Project, Dullah Omar Institute, University of the Western Cape